NFC Notes: Sam Darnold, Caleb Williams, Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

The Bears have made plenty of organizational changes in QB Caleb Williams‘ first season after not getting the results they imagined during the offseason. Despite the tough year, Williams showed support for GM Ryan Poles and feels he’s doing a good job despite the challenging nature of the position.

“You get to be around him in the same facility and things like that and him not just maybe stopping by the school, whatever the case may be, calling you on draft day and things like that,” Williams said, via the team’s YouTube. “And so being able to be in person and being able to be around him in the building it builds that relationship that we have in all faith and belief in those people upstairs. They’ve been doing a good job, a great job, and to continue that.”

“I’m not in there asking him questions about who, what. I’m not in there discussing further plans and things like that with him. Like I said before it’s not my job but from my perspective and the player being here now for a good little minute you see how much he cares about the right things, that being us in our development and all of those things, I think him leaning in those things helps show us as players that he does care and that he does want to win and is trying to find ways to win.”

• Bears LB Darrell Taylor was fined $16,883 for roughing the passer (blow to the head/neck) in Week 14.

Lions

Lions WR Tim Patrick had a big six-reception, two-touchdown performance in Week 14 against the Packers. Dan Campbell had high praise for Patrick’s work ethic and attention to detail this season. 

“He fits us just the way he is, the way he works, his attention to detail, and he brings a little something different,” Campbell said, via Benjamin Raven of MLive. 

Before arriving in Detroit, Patrick had overcome two season-ending injuries with the Broncos. WRs coach Antwaan Randle El thinks Patrick’s response has been admirable. 

“It was like, ‘Oh, yeah, we can work with this, this is going to be all right,’” Randle El said. “It means a lot for him to be able to work through it, because that’s a lot to deal with, those two back-to-back injuries and the way that they happened, could be devastating. You would have a lot of guys who shut it down after that. But he was determined to get back in the saddle, and you can tell, he can still play. He can still play the game.”

Patrick reflected on advice he received from his father before his passing five years ago, telling him that nothing comes easily.  

“My dad once told me, ‘You could take it as a curse or a blessing, but everything in life for us is not gonna be easy,’” Patrick said. “So if you truly, truly want something, you got to really go out there and take it. And I just took that to heart ever since I was little. So, no matter what I face, I know I’m going to overcome it, and I’m going to overcome it better than I was before. Once I got older, I really understood it. I just dealt with the punches and found a way to come out on top.”

• Lions OL Christian Mahogany was fined $4,609 for unnecessary roughness (facemask), and DL Za’Darius Smith was fined $6,722 for roughing the passer (blow to the head/neck) in Week 14.

Vikings

Vikings QB Sam Darnold‘s resurgence in HC Kevin O’Connell‘s system is going to force the organization to make a tough decision this off-season after they spent a first-round draft choice on rookie QB J.J. McCarthy this year.

“This guy’s been on one for a few weeks, and he just keeps getting better and better and better and better,” O’Connell said, via SI’s Albert Breer. “And if people don’t understand now? Then, I don’t know what to tell you.”